Is There A Minimum Vision Requirement To Get A Driver’s License In California

Yes. The minimum “visual acuity” that is needed is an eyesight of 20/40 in a least one eye and at least 20/70 in your other eye. Exceptions can, and often are, made to this rule if additional paperwork and tests show that you can fully compensate for your vision impairment and still be a safe driver.

Having 20/20 vision means that you can see normally, while having 20/40 vision means that you must be 20 feet away to see what other people can see from 40 feet away. The same applies to having 20/70 vision: that you must be 20 feet away to see what others could from 70 feet.

Since the whole point of a vision acuity test is to ensure that you can see well enough to drive, you stand a chance of failing the test even if you can read the chart if you have certain eye problems that affect your peripheral vision and/or depth perception. Degenerative eye problems that get worse over time are also taken into consideration.

Sometimes even those who have bad vision can still drive if they meet certain requirements like adding additional mirrors and/or only driving between dawn and dusk when they can see better. For those with degenerative eye diseases there are driver’s licenses that last only 2-3 years instead of the usual length and require you to be tested again after that time to make sure that you can still see well enough to drive.

This article was sent to us by Delta Driving School. They are a Driving School in La Crescenta CA and neighboring cities. Make sure to contact them if you are looking for a driving school in that area.